I watch an active community of small fish interacts with the garden eels and sea stars as they move about the soft corals. Again, I check my dive computer and rise a little closer to the surface following standard decompression guidelines. The divemaster that leads my dive is keeping a very close eye on us, checking frequently and getting one on one communication from every dive member that they are "OK". It's time to surface. A dark shadow falls over me. I turn and look at a large shape silhouetted against the sunlight from above. Momentarily I feel a rush of fear as it moves toward me. Gliding gracefully, so near I could reach out my hand and touch it, is an eagle ray with a wingspan over four feet wide. After my initial shock abates, the beauty of the sight invades my mind as I watch it disappear into the depths.